Recommended Curriculum Checklist:

Airplane Owners & Pilots

The airplane owner and pilot curriculum includes a core section, advanced section and continuing education section. The core curriculum provides a basic level of knowledge that each airplane owner and pilot should possess on aging airplanes. The core curriculum includes a web-based overview to the subject of aging airplanes, a a self-study course in AC information the mechanism of metal fatigue, and hands-on type-specific maintenance training. The advanced curriculum is available in AC format. The ACs provide airplane wonder and pilots and understanding of the AD process and the FAA's expectations for addressing an unsafe condition associated with metal fatigue. The continuing education portion emphasizes the need for airplane owners and pilots to review the information available for their airplane and for aging airplanes in general. Sources of this information include AC 43-16A and presentations made by the FAA, type clubs and industry associations and organizations at venues, including airshows, type club meetings and pilot safety seminars.

Core Level

  1. AOPA Air Safety Foundation Online Course: Aging Aircraft
    • Provides an excellent intro to aging GA issues.
    • Eligible for WINGS program credit.
    • Must sign up for free account first.
  2. Type-specific training provided by type club holder, type club or industry association or organization
    • Check the links page of this website for type club information.
  3. Best Practices Guide for Maintaining Aging General Aviation Airplanes (2003)
    • Collaborative effort between AOPA, AA, EAA and FAA. Direct result of the Small Airplane Directorate’s first aging airplane summit.
  4. GAMA Publication 14 Airframe Airworthiness Inspection Guide for Aging Airplanes
    • Document is still being developed. Will be available at this site upon completion.
    • Will provide a score sheet for small airplane owners to assess their airplane’s maintenance history and risk of developing fatigue and corrosion.
  5. AC91-59A Inspection & Care of General Aviation Exhaust Systems

Advanced level

  1. AC 39-7 Airworthiness Directives
    • Provides owners and pilots info about the AD process
  2. AC 91-82 Fatigue Management Programs for Airplanes with Demonstrated Risk of Catastrophic Failure Due to Fatigue
    • Provides owners and pilots an explanation of the maintenance actions that may be necessary if their airplane has an unsafe condition due to a demonstrated risk of catastrophic failure due to fatigue.
    • Provides the FAA’s expectations for fatigue management programs when an unsafe condition exists due to fatigue.
  3. AC 23-13A Fatigue, Fail-Safe and Damage Tolerance Evaluation of metallic Structure for Normal, Utility, Acrobatic and Commuter Category Airplanes
    • Provides owners and pilots with info on specific aging issues. Paragraphs 2-27 discuss life extension programs. Chapter 6 discusses SAD’s policy for flight with known cracks.

Continuing Education

  1. AC 43-16A Aviation Maintenance Alerts
    • Published monthly.
    • Provides owners, pilots and mechanics with info on maintenance issues, including summaries of service difficulty reports.
  2. FAA presentations at appropriate venues